Arnolfini speaks out on ‘abhorrent loss of life’ in Gaza

Arnolfini gallery has apologised for withdrawing from hosting two planned events as part of the Bristol Palestine Film Festival last year and condemned "the ongoing devastation and loss of life in Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Israel" as "abhorrent".

It’s the second apology the Bristol gallery has issued over its decision last November to cancel a screening of the coming-of-age film Farha, followed by a panel discussion and a live poetry night as part of the festival. However, its first statement, issued on 16 January, was criticised by campaigners for not containing the word “Palestine”.

In contrast, Arnolfini’s latest statement from its Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team explicitly denounces the “overwhelming humanitarian crisis" and apologises for not providing "a platform for Palestinian voices".

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“The International Court of Justice has described Israel’s actions in Gaza as plausible acts of genocide," the statement said.

"During this overwhelming humanitarian crisis, the voices of the victims need to be heard – Arnolfini recognises the importance of artists and their powerful voices in a complex world,” said Arnolfini.

The organisation said it was “sincerely sorry” it had cancelled the events, adding that the decision was “based on the information and understanding we had at the time, but now believe it was wrong.”

“We recognise that this decision has been upsetting for many and that a further lack of clarity and silence around our position and decision-making led to more confusion and frustration," the statement continued.

“We genuinely acknowledge the significant impact of how this situation has been handled and that an apology is long overdue. We deeply regret the distress caused and apologise without reservation.”

'A duty to uphold freedom of expression'

Arniolfini's cancellation of the event was widely criticised and prompted a boycott led by the activist group Artists for Palestine, as well as a series of sit-ins that forced the venue to close.

In December, more than 1,000 cultural figures, including the artists Brian Eno, Juliet Stevenson, and Alice Oswald, signed an open letter refusing to work with Arnolfini and warning of an "alarming pattern of censorship and repression within the arts sector.”

In response to the controversy, Arnolfini has pledged its commitment to “freedom of expression” and “intellectual freedom”. The gallery said it is developing “robust internal processes” and “assessing organisational structures,” including a new Programming Policy.

Arnolfini said it is also engaged in a mediation process with Bristol Palestine Film Festival, Bristol Artists for Palestine, and event organiser Raise the Bar noting that “significant progress” had been made during a meeting last week.

In response, Artists for Palestine UK welcomed Arnolfini’s new apology and called off its boycott while the mediation process continues.

"We hope this sends a clear message to other cultural institutions. Amid a repressive political and media climate, cultural institutions are too often failing in their duty to uphold freedom of expression and to protect against discrimination,” said Artists for Palestine UK.

In recent months, calls for cultural and educational organisations to address the conflict in Palestine and Israel have grown, while student-led demonstrations on American university campuses have drawn increased attention to the issue.

The campaign group UK Heritage X Palestine Action published an open letter in April signed by culture sector workers asking UK heritage bodies to "break their silence on the ongoing genocide" and "defend the freedom of cultural workers to speak out against imperialism and genocide."

'Political Activity'

Explaining its original reasoning for dropping the events, Arnolfini cited the “difficulty for arts charities hosting events that might be construed as political activity”, adding it "could not be confident" the event would not "stray into political activity".

Arnolfini is one of several Arts Council England (ACE) funded organisations—including Collections Trust, Soho Theatre, and HOME—that have faced public criticism over their handling of issues relating to the conflict in Israel and Palestine.

On 25 January, ACE updated its Relationship Framework policies for National Portfolio and Investment Principles Support Organisations, warning them to be wary of "overtly political or activist" statements, including about matters of current political debate, that might expose them to “reputational risk” and breach their funding agreements.

The new guidance was widely criticised, prompting ACE to overhaul the framework again and remove references to activism and overt politicism.

An ACE spokesperson said of Arnolfini's latest statement: "We understand that Arnolfini has provided an update and an apology in relation to a recent programming decision.

"Recipients of Arts Council investment are responsible for their own operational decisions as well as artistic programming. As the national development agency for art and culture, we provide funding to creative organisations and individuals to ensure there are excellent creative opportunities for people around the country.”